Girlish Number

Episode 2

Girlish Number's first episode was almost wholly dedicated to the show's central hook. It established the relationship between Chitose and Goto, then concluded with the announcement of Chitose's new show, but most of the episode was simply conveying “industry-focused drama with Wataru Watari's cynical sense of humor.” That's a strong hook, and it certainly grabbed me, but shows need more than that to survive. This episode was largely dedicated to filling in the rest of the foundation - introducing Chitose's costars, establishing the way this show will convey production drama, and setting up a platform for the narrative stakes going forward.

The good news is that Girlish Number's second episode still maintained much of the humor and charm of the premiere. Chitose continues to be a very entertaining lead, and her costars fill in a variety of necessary alternate perspectives. Chitose's seiyuu school friend Yae might be the weak link so far, as she falls pretty easily into the “constantly flustered cute girl” archetype. That wouldn't necessarily be a problem in the abstract, but a show like Girlish Number desperately needs characters who are both earnest and strong, so Chitose's childish cynicism doesn't dominate the show's overall tone. My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU managed this through characters like Yui, Sensei, and Hayato - so far, no one with that presence has shown up here, but Yae might ultimately grow into that role.

Yae aside, the initial rapport between the five leads is very solid. There's a wit and flow to these characters' conversations that puts it a cut above most shows, even if not all the characters feel like fully articulated people. I also appreciated the clear differences in perspective between the two veteran stars. Kazuha's initial standoffish personality was this week revealed to cover a clear pride in her work - when discussing their live event, her main complaint was her dislike of promoting shows she hadn't yet performed in. That's a very reasonable concern for someone who cares about what they do! Kazuha's not an approachable person, but if that distance is reflective of an underlying commitment to her work and reputation, then she could very easily grow into a character worth caring about.

Other elements of this episode were less fully realized. Perhaps my biggest fears are related to the producer Kuzu-P, who comes off as an unprofessional, overenthusiastic, and just generally obnoxious presence. Having an obnoxious character is one thing, but when that character is your central stand-in for the industry at large, you risk simplifying your show's message to the point of irrelevance. Kuzu-P feels like a caricature, and his scenes of negotiating between the anime production team and light novel creators played as farce. If I'm expected to invest in the trials and tribulations of the terrible anime they're creating, I need to believe in the staff behind it.

The lack of a meaningful staff presence was somewhat mitigated by Koto Katakura, the last of the main heroines. Not only did Koto add an element of brash confidence to the group, she also acted as the resident animation nerd, effortlessly pointing out the key animator responsible for the show's PV. I could see Girlish Number getting away with a wholly seiyuu-focused narrative if it leans on Koto to provide production commentary; even if we don't see the rest of the staff, we'll at least have some impression of how the show's actually going.

Overall, I was reasonably satisfied with this second episode. I'm not so hot on the show's underwritten articulation of the production process, but the actual main characters are solidly written, and basically every detail we learn about the show they're working on establishes it as the most entertainingly generic light novel adaptation ever. If Girlish Number can either shore up its weaknesses or lean into its strengths, it will continue to be a funny and satisfying experience.

Overall: B

Girlish Number is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

Nick writes about anime, storytelling, and the meaning of life at Wrong Every Time.